The integration of unified communications capabilities into an application program can lead to significant user productivity improvements. As the name suggests, unified communications unites different communications tools under a single control interface. An example of unified communications would be an interface that allows a user to “click-to-call,” “click-to-email,” and “click-to-instant message.” In other words, a single interface allows the user to place a telephone call, perhaps using voice over IP (VoIP) technology, send an email message, or send a chat message using an instant messaging service, such as AMERICA ONLINE'S INSTANT MESSENGER.
Current unified communications solutions typically require a user or network administrator to set up a unified communications capabilities infrastructure, such as an email server, chat/awareness server, and VoIP server, and modify application programs to connect to this infrastructure. The existing solutions that require application modifications are often impractical because (1) users may not have access to the application source code; (2) users may not have skills to make such modifications; and (3) there is no standardization of unified communications capabilities application programming interfaces (APIs), which puts a heavy burden on the application developer that wants to provide a general unified communications solution.
Often, an application may include communication data items that is associated with typical communications. These communication data items, or communication “hot-spots,” may include a person's name, a phone number, an email address, or a chat screen name.
What is needed are systems and methods for enabling unified communications capabilities in applications without the requirement to modify application programs to enable connecting to a unified communications capabilities infrastructure.